The letter to the Romans stands as the clearest presentation of Christian doctrine, starting with the sinfulness of humanity. All people have been condemned as a result of our rebellion against God. But God, in His grace, offers us justification through faith in His son, Jesus. We are justified by God because Christ’s blood covers our sin, just as if we had never sinned, and so we are redeemed and receive salvation.
The next step is sanctification, in which we are made holy like Christ, and in this process, the Holy Spirit begins making changes in our life as we persist in following Him. We are too weak to make these changes under our own strength. We are saved from the penalty of sin, which is spiritual death, and we are also saved from the power of sin.
Romans 1:16 reads, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…”
In Romans Chapters 1-3, Paul shows how each of us lack God’s righteousness because of our sin. Chapters 4-5 cover justification by faith. Chapters 6-8 demonstrate God’s righteousness in believers. Chapters 9-11 deal with the justice of God’s rejection of Israel and God’s ultimate purpose of mercy for Israel. Chapters 12-16 reveal practical ways we can apply God’s righteousness throughout our lives.
Submitted by Bob Sidlinger